


Nostalgia / Representation

by sky_kaijou



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Double cheeseburger with a side of cheese, Fluff, Get your fondue sets out this is cheesy, Happy Birthday, M/M, Real Anime References, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, yuri!!! on ice - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:02:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22396765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sky_kaijou/pseuds/sky_kaijou
Summary: Happy birthday Katsuya Jounouchi!Just a very fluff-centric fic about Katsuya watching Yuri!!! On Ice! and how Seto reflects on their own relationship.
Relationships: Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto
Comments: 9
Kudos: 43





	Nostalgia / Representation

**Author's Note:**

> This may have been inspired by my own re-watching Yuri!!! On Ice! this week.

The strangest thing about Katsuya, in Seto’s eyes anyway, was his obsession for revisiting things he found nostalgic. He loved to eat at the same burger shop, he usually even ate the exact same order of a “double cheeseburger, extra pickles, and a large fries with aioli.” He would always buy the same clothing brands, same style of jeans in two different colours, and watch the same movies over and over. At home he would wear his favourite, worn-out hoodie and sit on the couch under a worn-out blanket Shizuka had given him years upon years ago.

The antithesis that he was, Seto enjoyed experiencing new things. He couldn’t remember a restaurant he’d eaten at twice, or a movie he’d watched off his own accord more than once. In saying that, he did understand the _concept_ of nostalgia. But Katsuya seemed so wrapped up in it. Rewatching things from when they were younger brought him incredible child-like joy.

“When you find something you like, or somethin’ that has a really good plot, sometimes ya just want to invest yourself in it more than once.” Katsuya had shoed him away with his disappointing glare while watching Die Hard for the fifth Christmas Eve in a row. Mokuba had nodded along eagerly while stuffing his face with popcorn. Katsuya made it no secret that he would read fanfiction and watch AMV’s once finished a series or movie if he’d really invested himself. Seto just rolled his eyes and went back to his dystopian science-fiction novels. But it was kinda cute to see Katsuya lying on the bed, staring at his phone with a cheesy grin.

It was no surprise that Katsuya was lying on the couch, sprawled out, rewatching an anime Seto recognised by its’ catchy theme song. _“We were born to make history!”_ Katsuya stretched his arms up and blindly searched for a pillow to prop under his head. From the kitchenette in their city apartment, Seto had only mildly followed along with whatever Katsuya was watching whenever he was in the room between brewing coffees before slinking back to his office with a view over the harbour. This wasn’t the first episode in the series, so he’d missed a lot of the backstory, but he gathered there was a big competition of sorts, and the rest was probably cliché. Would the protagonist, Yuuri, be able to score the top score? Or would that be saved to the finale?

“Come join me honey,” Katsuya called out, pulling his legs in to free up space. Reluctantly, Seto settled in beside him, still only half-paying attention, but appreciating his boyfriend’s proximity all the same. Katsuya lay his head on Seto’s lap and Seto absently stroked his hair softly.

It wasn’t often they got a chance to be home, together, without interruptions.

From what Seto had gathered from the news stories a few years ago, and what was happening on the screen in front of him, it was quite a progressive anime. The main couple were two men who were very outwardly showing love and affection in front of their friends, crowds, and families. It was indeed a solid message wrapped up in a sports anime. Sports anime’s had the biggest fandom following in Japan. Despite being years old, _Haikyuu_ and _Slam Dunk_ still had ample shelf space in Anime stores.

Seto’s attention wasn’t really on the TV though. While the beautiful piano-heavy melodies played he thought about all the things he could be grateful for; he had no parents to come out to, no friends to betray him, wealth and status that protected him tight. Katsuya didn’t come from that background. He remembered Katsuya’s struggle to come out when they had first started dating. How did that happen? Dating? He couldn’t really remember because it was all just an intense explosion of colours and fireworks. Suddenly Katsuya was hanging off his arm every weekend, and now, every day. They were a few years into their relationship now. It was no longer the hottest news adorning every tabloid cover. The rumours about how they’d started their relationship had all but disappeared, to everyone’s delight.

Between the small snippets he’d caught in the last few days, Seto smiled at the similarities between Yuuri Katsuki and Katsuya Jounouchi. There was a joke about pork cutlet bowls in there at a quick glance too. Katsuya was kind of like the protagonist in Seto’s life. Seto liked his tenacity, almost as much as he liked his humanity and his sunny disposition. Anybody else in the world would have righteously given up on Seto but Katsuya had kept tapping away at him until he’d finally broken in.

He felt Katsuya move around and his eyes flicked up to the scene that had blown up online a few years ago; censored all the same, but Yuuri and Victor kissing. Katsuya’s cheeks were flushed red and his eyes were glazed over.

“That’s got you mushy?” Seto asked, raised his eyebrows. He knew Katsuya was a bit of a sap – okay more than just a _bit_ , and that too was adorable, but it didn’t stop Seto from teasing him about it.

“Representation matters.” Katsuya poked his tongue out as he wiped away the pool of tears in his eyes. “I’m allowed to be a bit mushy seeing two guys kiss on TV, alright? Even if they aren’t real.”

Seto’s breath caught as that sentence buried itself in his soul.

-

A bright yellow hoodie was pulled up over Katsuya’s head. He sat on the couch with a plushie on his lap and hands on his cheeks. He looked so incredibly comfortable, as Seto brought over a hot chocolate and placed it on a wooden coaster on the coffee table. Katsuya smiled up at him sweetly.

This episode seemed to be a lot less skating-focussed and a lot more narrative building. Seto recognised the Barcelonan landmarks from a trip a few years ago. He thought that maybe he should take Katsuya one day on a long holiday once he’d pulled himself a bit further away from the frontlines at work. Katsuya leaned into Seto’s shoulder once he’d settled beside him and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

It would surprise everyone – it surprised himself even – how much Seto loved the understated affection Katsuya showed him. They were always in tune with how much the other was receptive to. Katsuya loved any kind of attention, physical or verbal. Seto preferred these understated moments, like they were no big deal. Maybe because deep, deep down, Seto thought if he brought attention to them they’d disappear.

Even though it was just a stupid, irrational thought.

And then his eyes flicked up to Yuuri buying jewellery at a store, and then to the scene where Yuuri and Victor exchanged rings, and then he stayed glued, possibly more glued than his boyfriend beside him, to the scene where they admitted they would get married when Yuuri won the gold.

He noticed Katsuya’s beaming smile.

It was then, he understood why representation mattered, and why Katsuya found comfort in an anime about ice skating.

Seto reached over and put his arm around Katsuya’s shoulders, pulling him in, like his body was moving on its’ own.

-

Watching the last episode, Seto kept noticing the gold flashes on the skaters’ fingers. Katsuya was sitting, knuckles white, around his cup of tea. Despite already knowing how the anime ended, he still cheered when Yuuri landed jumps and voiced discomfort when he didn’t. Seto thought it was mildly endearing.

At the end, Katsuya’s energy seemed to shift, and he sat to face Seto, who had one eyebrow raised.

“Seto,” Katsuya said with a weird intonation in his voice.

“Yes, Katsuya?”

“Do you ever think…” his voice cut off. He turned his face away and Seto noticed the heavy flush under his eyes.

“Yes, I do think. Do you ever think?” Katsuya elbowed Seto at his (successful) attempt at a joke / attempt at diffusing his awkward aura.

“Do you ever…” Katsuya took in a breath, “want to get married?”

Seto shifted minutely in his seat. So that’s what _this_ was about? He should have _absolutely_ seen this conversation coming.

“Yes,” he found himself saying like it was a natural reflex. So maybe, it had been on his mind too since a few days ago when they’d watched the engagement episode, and Seto had read more than a few stories about the rapid increase of same-sex partner certificates being issued in Japan, and laws, politicians who were LGBT+ or LGBT+ positive at the least.

And that change had only come about because _representation mattered_ and opened the door to that internal debate.

He noticed Katsuya smile, but he didn’t get a follow up question so Seto took it upon himself to continue the conversation.

“Yes, Katsuya.” He repeated. “I want to get married. I want _us_ to be _able_ to get married.”

“Yeah, I guess we can’t really, can we? Not here, anyway.” Katsuya sighed, blowing his fringe out of his eyes.

Seto took Katsuya’s hands in his own and looked him directly in his eyes. Katsuya had beautiful eyes. Seto fell in _love_ with them every time.

Yeah, okay, Seto Kaiba was in _love_ with Katsuya Jounouchi. Just thinking that gave his entire body chills. He felt his inner dialogue falling from his mouth. “Katsuya, I love you. Katsuya I’m _in love_ with you.” Seto vowed to say it more often because the way Katsuya smiled with his eyes was the most precious thing Seto could ever have. “Do you want to get engaged?”

His eyes shot open wide. His face somehow blushed redder, and tears pooled in the corners of his eyes until they streamed down his cheeks silently. “Um.” That was the first time Seto could ever recall Katsuya was speechless.

“We can get engaged, Katsuya. We can be that representation here. We can be that conversation for someone else. If you want. We can buy rings together. We can go right now if you want. I can propose properly if you want.”

Katsuya’s response wasn’t verbal, but it was clear, as Katsuya wrapped his arms around his boyfr- _fiancé_ and snuggled his face into his neck, planting a kiss along the way.

**Author's Note:**

> My husband and I got engaged sitting on the couch when we were talking about when we wanted to be married by. We realised the timing was a lot closer than we'd thought (within two years) and both had an "oh shi* I guess this is happening then!!!" moment! I bought my own ring after we told our families to save the date.


End file.
